Bradley took terrific care of us and the result was a wonderful time! He was knowledgeable, friendly, and patient. We walked away with 2 custom bottles of bourbon and a great story (or two)! Thanks, J. Mattingly and Bradley! read more

The customer service was great. Meeting J. Mattingly was incredible. Best bourbon trail experience to blend our own bottle with a master blender. read more

J Mattingly 1845 Distillery - 10 years of bliss - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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J Mattingly 1845 Distillery is a smaller, intimate, and truly unique experience that is one of a kind. You will enjoy a bourbon blending experience with a master bourbon blender and can customize your own bottle, right down to the color of the wax. Seen was our master bourbon blender and she was so knowledgeable and made this whole experience memorable and unforgettable. We did a tour around where she explained everything. We felt like you were family and we loved how personalized our experience was. It was different than some of the bigger distilleries that felt less personal and more corporate, which made this experience even more special. Our tasting was amazing and we learned a lot about the aging of bourbon and the stave aging that they do at J Mattingly Distillery. Highly recommend checking out this distillery and bringing home some of your favorites home with you! read more

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This is a cool little distillery to stop into. We tried a tasting and got to sample 7 different whiskeys. The tour cost is $20 but they let my husband and I taste together. It is really cool because they do a decent amount of speciality bottles that are one and done. So once sold out, the are out for good. I really enjoyed the Vietnam light whiskey. I still am thinking about how unique it was. The bourbon 30 was also not bad and for $40 it would be worth it. The rest of the bottles are on the expensive side with most being over $100. Inside, seemed a little disorganized but everyone was nice nonetheless. Overall, I may be back for a light whiskey because I am still thinking about the one I tasted. Check it out, especially if near buffalo trace. read more

J Mattingly 1845 Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

We had a group of 11 of us visit on June 22nd (we call ourselves the Bourbon Brotherhood). None of us were that familiar with J Mattingly. We did the Magnificent tasting and it was very good. They have some top notch Bourbons. If you are visiting Buffalo Trace, do NOT skip J Mattingly that is right across the street. After the tasting we met Jeff the owner. He took us in back and we got to do some barrel sampling. We then did some mixing of the barrels and created our own blend. We purchased 23 bottles of this blend in our own labeled bottles, which will never be created again! It was great getting to spend the time with Jeff and learning about Bourbon and his passion for making it. Thanks again to Jeff and his team for making this stop a great experience! read more

We had a wonderful tasting with Rick who was knowledgeable about the bourbon and made plenty of cheesy dad jokes! First time here, long time bourbon fans! Not overly crowded, and the cats on premise were sweet! Highly recommend!! read more

J Mattingly 1845 Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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Walked in and was greeted. I inquired about tour and was given a quick walk around their spaces then given free samples to try. Never given any pressure to buy anything. Unique place and they do lots with the military. read more

We didn't eat any food, but our group of Leatherheads Firefighter MC came for a visit and was well worth our time. We had several do the tasting. After the tasting they took our entire group on a tour. The ambiance was what you would expect from a smaller (more personal) distillery. Lastly the service was out of this world. I would recommend a visit to these guys for sure. read more

In an region of oversized distilleries, I appreciated the intimate atmosphere. Todd was awesome! Made the experience memorable. We stopped in for a tasting and ended up getting a few bottles! We'll be back to hang with Todd again! read more

As you approach the outside of J. Mattingly, you wouldn't expect too much after visiting a few other distilleries that have extravagant entrances but don't let that fool you. Once you walk inside, you're in a different world. You are immediately greeted as a friend so you're quickly put at ease. Now come the options which range from a simple flight of bourbons to a full out session where you become a master blender and blend several different bourbons. The former will take an hour and the latter a little longer but worth it (doing this next time). Our master of experience was "Senna" and she was indeed masterful, carefully explaining the heritage, the brand story, and the flavor notes of every single bourbon and whiskey tasted. I walked out smarter just from this initial flight tasting. Imagine if I had chosen the full out course! This translates to a very personalized experience, not what you would receive at some of the larger and busier distilleries. This truly is a Master Class in understanding Bourbons and Whiskeys. The icing on the "bourbon cake" was a quick tour of the facility and the opportunity to sign a barrel! Totally unexpected. Finally, we had to walk out with a few bottles and merchandise which included some premium shirts with the label "Next Level", so be sure to grab them given their great fit and premium texture. Hands down, this a MUST so definitely ask for "Senna" or any of the family members: Savannah or Jeff, both of whom I met. Jeff said it best when we gave each other brotherly hugs: "You come in as a friend, but you leave as family." That's exactly how I felt. read more

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We loved our experience at J Mattingly. It's a small distillery with LOTS of history and lots of fun. They have two distillery cats, one named Benny and one named MJ and they love the life. The staff was awesome - welcoming, accommodating, and fun. The bourbon brittle is delicious too, don't miss out. We will definitely be back. read more

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Great experience. Tete was an amazing host. Very knowledgeable, friendly & helpful. She went above and beyond to make our experience one to remember. We learned a lot about aging bourbon and the stave aging they do at this distillery. Highly recommend. read more

J Mattingly 1845 Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Great distillery. The tasting was great and the guide was fun and knowledgeable. The staff were very friendly as well.

We really enjoyed the bourbon, the staff was very friendly and helpful, and we loved that they support our emergency responders and our military. We all bought a couple of bottles of our favorite bourbon and will definitely order more in the future. read more

Well, another great offering and you're at a low key place! The tastings are really worth it and good pours too! They've got great Kentucky bourbon and merchandise too. read more

J Mattingly 1845 Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

The place is small but the tasting was good and informative. We walked down to the distillery area and saw their setup. Worth stopping in for a taste and grab some bourbon peanut brittle!! read more

A very unassuming building opens up to a beautiful distillery serving brilliant bourbon. Our host Daniel was phenomenal. read more

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I popped in for a bourbon tasting and Cheri provided a most informative experience. We shared many stories and she introduced me to a co-worker, Todd. He also shared many stories of being in the navy and seemed like a great person. The bourbon was very good and we loved the distillery. read more

We stopped in towards the end of the day and got a tasting with Rick. He was awesome!! Tried a lot of whiskey, had lots of laughs and he ended up giving us a tour of the place. Will recommend this place to anyone coming in the bourbon trail! read more

A great little distillery with some very interesting and tasty products. Great friendly employees. Good value for unique taste.

I recently order the 1845 SEAL Collection for my friend who is retiring after 28 years of service. I ordered March 28, 2025. My credit card was billed however, I was never sent a purchase order nor a tracking number. When I contacted J Mattingly through social media I was told they would be following up with me. They never did. When I enquired again I received no answers and was told I would be contacted the following Monday. I never was. Im disappointed as the gift seemed perfect for my friend who's retirement party has now come and gone. Now im seeking a refund. Let's see how much im jerked around on this. John Goslin read more

I have visited the new J Mattingly facility twice and thoroughly enjoyed both trips. My first visit was shortly after they opened in November 2023 and the second was a Sunday in April 2024. Both times, the staff was welcoming, friendly, and enthusiastic about their brand and their offerings. Their spacious tasting room and gift shop is comfortable to spend time in, with a seating area at tables and benches. The whiskey is really good! They do custom blends of sourced whiskey that are all VERY Small Batch. If you taste a blend you like, buy it now, it'll never be reproduced. You can do your own Custom Blend experience or buy from their shelf selections. They offer bourbons, ryes, and light whiskey. All delicious. Check them out when you're visiting a nearby distillery. They're conveniently located across the street from BT. Look for all the semi-trailers. I took a couple of bottles home from my last visit! read more

J Mattingly 1845 Distillery - Two delicious ryes! - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Fantastic bourbon tasting experience! Everyone is very warm, friendly and so inviting. You feel right at home and you sidle up to the bar. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of J. Mattingly 1845 and the bourbons, whiskey and rye lined up for our tasting. My favorite of the 5 tasting samples was the 100 proof Bourbon 30 but everything was excellent that we tried. What a great experience! Don't miss out on a tour and tasting at J. Mattingly 1845! read more

J Mattingly 1845 Distillery - Our tasting! 5 solid pours! - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Great samples and opportunity to blend your own bottle (with custom label)! Visited on my Birthday to create my own B-day Blend. Tastes pretty good, if I do say so myself. I want to return with a group; especially to mark a special occasion. read more

You can purchase ready blended whiskeys or you can blend your own. What a fun experience! We decided to blend our own bourbon. The staff is very informative and helps guide you along the way as to what flavors blend well. But the choice is ultimately up to you! The end result is the naming of your creation and a special label! read more

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TT was our bourbon guide. She was amazingly knowledgeable about the different products and very fun and engaging. I would highly recommend this small intimate craft. A space is beautifully redone. All around great experience.!! read more

Great private tour and got to taste several great Bourbons and bought the K9 version supporting dogs for vets

Between watching WWE-sized Rick pour bourbons while relating canned jokes that had me hollering and TT imparting her extensive knowledge about J. Mattingly's offerings, me and my buddies had one of the best experiences of all our distillery visits. The bourbon tasting was excellent and was only exceeded by barrel selections offered by TT. Finally, we all got personalized labels and wax tops for each of our bourbon choices. What a fantastic experience! read more

Had a blast! Rick was phenomenal. 10 people in our group,we all had a blast , you basically get to try all they have to offer for 20 bucks I ended up buying a single barrel bottle that we tasted straight out of the barrel during the tour which was 130 proof a drank like 80! Challenge him to an arm wrestle and see what happens! read more

My husband did the VIP JMatt Private Event with Bradley and it was hands down one of the best experiences we ever had. Bradley offered expert advice and direction, and provided a patient, fun, unique experience. The bottleS my husband crafted and brought home will be cherished for years to come and he's already raved about the experience to friends old and new from back home in VA to here in KY. Thanks an unforgettable experience! read more

My husband and son did the tasting with Bev as their bartender. They loved the bourbon and Bev was the sweetest person. Great little distillery that gives back to some veteran charities. read more

We stopped in after going to Buffalo Trace (just across the road) and did a tasting. We were then treated to an informal tour by Daniel. So much fun and such a great learning experience. read more

J Mattingly 1845 Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Senn was such a great time . Great bourbon and great atmosphere. She made everything so easy and fun....highly recommend her.

My husband did the make your own bourbon experience and it was worth it. Great staff and knowledgeable, just a great vibe. We were in KY on the bubourbon trail for his birthday and an ad for this place popped up on my FB feed. Best gift for him and so happy I booked it. read more

The staff were very friendly and interactive. We learned a lot about the bourbon making process from our knowledgeable and witty tour guide. The ability to taste several barrels of bourbon, then blend and bottle one to our personal taste was the highlight. Thank you, it made the whole experience worth the trip. read more

What an amazing stop. The bourbon was excellent but the people were fantastic. The owner even signed our bottles and gave us a hug

Loved this place! We had Latasha as our tasting guide and she was great! Super nice and informative. The vibe of the place is more than what you would expect from seeing the outside. Would totally go again:) read more

Very nice folks at a craft distillery. Interesting atmosphere located right across the street from the Buffalo. Worth a stop if you have time. read more

Outstanding tour! Highly recommend! This is not your garden variety, vanilla distillery tour. These folks are friendly, knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Beautiful gift shop and excellent bourbon, rye and light whiskey. If you are here on the bourbon trail or a local looking for something different, you owe it to yourself to check this place out! read more

We made it to J Mattingly about an hour before they closed and are so glad we did! It was our 4th stop on the Bourbon Trail, so it would have been easy for our impression of it to meld together with the rest of the day, but our tasting with Bev was a highlight of our whole trip. She made us feel welcome and explained their offerings beautifully. We appreciated their personalized approach, especially compared to some of the larger distilleries in the area, and found a couple solid bourbons to take home! read more